Quantifying Fluid Cleanliness

QUANTIFYING SOLID PARTICLE CONTAMINATION

STRUCTURE OF ISO 4406 CODE:
Cleanliness levels are defined by three numbers divided by slashes (/). These numbers correspond to 4, 6 and 14 micron, in
that order. Each number refers to an ISO Range Code which is determined by the number of particles for that size (4, 6, 14
micron) and larger present in 100 ml of fluid. Each range is double the range below. Refer to the chart to see the actual ranges.

250,000,000
EXAMPLE: 28
130,000,000
27
Larger than 4 µm = 125,000 64,000,000
26
Larger than 6 µm = 29,490 32,000,000
25
16,000,000
Larger than 14 µm = 4,250 24
8,000,000
23
NAS 1638 4,000,000
22
Contamination level according to NAS 1638: the 2,000,000
21
1,000,000
contamination classes are defined by a number (from 00-12) 20
500,000
which indicates the maximum number of particles per 100 19
250,000
ml, counted on a differential basis in a given size bracket. 18
130,000
Most industrial users quote a single code which is the highest 17 17
64,000
recorded in all sizes, e.g. NAS 6. 16
32,000
15 15
16,000
14
8,000
13 13
4,000
12
2,000
11
1,000
10
500
9
250
8
23/21/18 18/15/13 15/13/8 130
7
64
6
32
5
16
4
8
3
4
2
2
1
1
0
0.5

NAS CLASSES
00 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
5-15 125 250 500 1000 2000 4000 8000 16000 32000 64000 128000 256000 512000 1024000
15-25 22 44 89 178 356 712 1425 2850 5700 11400 22800 45600 91200 182400
25-50 4 8 16 32 63 126 253 506 1012 2025 4050 8100 16200 32400
50-100 1 2 3 6 11 22 45 90 1801 360 720 1410 2880 5760
over 100 0 0 1 1 2 4 8 16 32 64 128 256 512 1024

SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE

Coenecoop 71 | 2741 PH | Waddinxveen | the Netherlands
T: (31) 182 30 28 88 F: (31) 182 30 28 89 E: [email protected]
WWW.RMFFILTER.COM
SAE AS 4059 REV.E**
CLEANLINESS CLASSIFICATION FOR HYDRAULIC FLUIDS (SAE AEROSPACE STANDARD)
This SAE Aerospace Standard (AS) defines cleanliness levels for particulate contamination of hydraulic fluids and includes methods
of reporting data relating to the contamination levels. Tables 1 and 2 below provide differential and cumulative particle counts
respectively for counts obtained by an automatic particle counter, e.g. LPA2.

TABLE 1 - CLEANLINESS CLASSES FOR DIFFERENTIAL PARTICLE COUNTS

MAXIMUM CONTAMINATION LIMITS (PARTICLES/100ML)

SIZE 6 TO 14 14 TO 21 21 TO 38 38 TO 70 >70
CLASSES µm µm µm µm µm
00 125 22 4 1 0
0 250 44 8 2 0
1 500 89 16 3 1
2 1.000 178 32 6 1
3 2.000 356 63 11 2
4 4.000 712 126 22 4
5 8.000 1.425 253 45 8
6 16.000 2.850 506 90 16
7 32.000 5.700 1.012 180 32
8 64.000 11.400 2.025 360 64
9 128.000 22.800 4.050 720 128
10 256.000 45.600 8.100 1.440 256
11 512.000 91.200 16.200 2.880 512
12 1.024.000 182.400 32.400 5.760 1.024

TABLE 2 - CLEANLINESS CLASSES FOR CUMULATIVE PARTICLE COUNTS

MAXIMUM CONTAMINATION LIMITS (PARTICLES/100ML)

>4 >6 >14 >21 >38 >70

SIZE
µm µm µm µm µm µm
SIZE CODE
CLASSES A B C D E F

000 195 76 14 3 1 0
00 390 152 27 5 1 0
0 780 304 54 10 2 0
1 1.560 609 109 20 4 1
2 3.120 1.217 217 39 7 1
3 6.250 2.432 432 76 13 2
4 12.500 4.864 864 152 26 4
5 25.000 9.731 1.731 306 53 8
6 50.000 19.462 3.462 612 106 16
7 100.000 38.924 6.924 1.224 212 32
8 200.000 77.849 13.849 2.449 424 64
9 400.000 155.698 27.698 4.898 848 128
10 800.000 311.396 55.396 9.796 1.696 256
11 1.600.000 622.792 110.792 19.592 3.392 512
12 3.200.000 1.245.584 221.584 39.184 6.784 1.024
** The information reproduced on this and the previous table is a brief extract from SAE AS4059 Rev. E revised in May 2005. For
futher details and explanations refer to the full Standard.

SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WWW.RMFFILTER.COM

RMF ISO Cleanliness Levels
TO ACHIEVE THE CORRECT CLEANLINESS LEVEL
A combination of filters must be used to achieve the correct cleanliness level in a hydraulic or lubrication system.

RMF Systems offers a comprehensive range of Of f- line f ilters, By -pass filters and Air conditioners (desiccant breathers) to achieve
and maintain extremely low contamination levels in hydraulic and/or lubrication systems (water and solid particles).

SETTING THE CLEANLINESS LEVEL REQUIRED BY A SYSTEM

1. Starting at the left hand column, select the most dirt sensitive component used in the system.
2. Move to the right to the column that describes the system pressure and conditions.
3. Here you will find the recommended ISO class level.

LOW/MEDIUM PRESSURE HIGH PRESSURE 140-210 VERY HIGH PRESSURE 210

UNDER 140 BAR BAR BAR AND HIGHER. HIGH
MODERATE CONDITIONS SEVERE CONDITIONS PRESSURE AND SEVERE
CONDITIONS
PUMPS
Fixed gear/Fixed vane 20/18/15 19/17/14 18/16/13
Fixed piston 19/17/14 18/16/13 17/15/12
Variable vane 18/16/13 17/15/12 Not applicable
Variable piston 18/16/13 17/15/12 16/14/11
VALVES
Check valves 20/18/15 20/18/15 19/17/14
Directional valves 20/18/15 19/17/14 18/16/13
Standard flow valves 20/18/15 19/17/14 18/16/13
Car tridge valves 19/17/14 18/16/13 17/15/12
Propor tional valves 17/15/12 17/15/12 16/14/11
Ser vo valves 16/14/11 16/14/11 15/13/10
ACTUATORS
Cylinders, Vane mtors, Gear motors 20/18/15 19/17/14 18/16/13
Piston motors, Swash plate, Gear motors 19/17/14 18/16/13 17/15/12
Hydrostatic drives 16/15/12 16/14/11 15/13/10
Test stands 15/13/10 15/13/10 15/13/10
BEARINGS
Journal bearings 17/15/12 Not applicable Not applicable
Industrial gear boxes 17/15/12 Not applicable Not applicable
Ball bearings 15/13/10 Not applicable Not applicable
Roller bearings 16/14/10 Not applicable Not applicable

SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WWW.RMFFILTER.COM

Cleanliness Selection Guide
FLUID VISCOSITY
The viscosity of a fluid is an important property in the analysis of liquid behavior and fluid motion near solid boundaries.
The viscosity is the fluid resistance to shear or flow and is a measure of the adhesive/cohesive or frictional fluid property.
The resistance is caused by intermolecular friction exerted when layers of fluids attempt to slide by one another. Viscosity is
a measure of a fluid's resistance to flow. The knowledge of viscosity is needed for proper design of required temperatures for
storage, pumping or injection of fluids. There are two related measures of fluid viscosity - known as dynamic (or absolute) and
kinematic viscosity.

VISCOSITY CLASSIFICATION

MIDPOINT KINEMATIC KINEMATIC VISCOSITY LIMIT KINEMATIC VISCOSITY LIMIT

ISO VISCOSITY GRADE VISCOSITY MM2/S AT MM2/S AT 40°C (104°F) MM2/S 40°C (104°F)
40°C (104°F) MINIMUM MAXIMUM
ISO VG 2 2.2 1.98 2.42
ISO VG 3 3.2 2.88 3.52
ISO VG 5 4.6 4.14 5.06
ISO VG 7 6.8 6.12 7.46
ISO VG 10 10 9.00 11.0
ISO VG 15 15 13.5 16.5
ISO VG 22 22 19.8 24.2
ISO VG 32 32 29.8 35.2
ISO VG 46 46 41.4 50.6
ISO VG 68 68 61.2 74.8
ISO VG 100 100 90.0 110
ISO VG 150 150 135 165
ISO VG 220 220 198 242
ISO VG 320 320 288 352
ISO VG 460 460 414 506
ISO VG 680 680 612 748
ISO VG 1000 1000 900 1100
ISO VG 1500 1500 1350 1650
ISO VG 2200 2200 1980 2420
ISO VG 3200 3200 2880 3520

VISCOSITY CONVERSION CHART

CST (CENTISTOKES) SUS (SAYBOLT UNIVERSAL SECONDS)*
10 46
20 93
25 116
30 139
32.4 150
40 185
50 232
70 324
90 417
Comparisons are made at 100° F (38°C). For other viscosity
conversion approximations, use the formula: cSt=SUS/4.635
*Note: Saybolt universal seconds may also be abbreviated SSU.

SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WWW.RMFFILTER.COM